Jesus has called all His Followers Kings and Priests. Are you a Follower? If so this week’s Parashat gives rules for Priests. Leviticus 21 says a Priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean. A Priest is separated from the congregation. He is set apart by God to be the bridge between God and the community. The Priests are not allowed to be around death. Only for his mother, father, son, daughter, brother and sister if she is not married. They are not allowed to become unclean for in-laws. They are not allowed to mourn shave their heads, trim their beards nor cut or mark their bodies. They must be set apart as Holy before God as they offer gift to our God.
A Priest is not allowed to marry just anyone. He cannot marry a woman who was a prostitute. He is not allowed to marry a woman who is divorced. The Priest must not defile himself because I the Lord am Holy. He offers gifts to Me.
The daughter of a Priest must not defile herself by becoming a prostitute. If she does she must be burned to death. She has defiled her Father’s Holiness.
The High Priest is not allowed to be ceremonially unclean even for the death of his father and mother. He holds the Highest Office. He is held at a higher standard. The High Priest must not leave the sanctuary and defile it by touching a dead body. He can only marry a virgin from his own clan.
Now I know you are saying that is Old Testament we don’t have to follow that today we have a new covenant. Well Jesus told young man in Luke 9:60 let the dead bury the dead. This young man was called to preach the Gospel. He is being told he is now a Priest and must follow the protocols to remain ceremonial clean.
A woman has great influence over man. Look at the fall of man. Eve is the one who first sinned she handed the fruit to Adam causing man to fall. A woman who has slept with many men takes apart of them into herself spiritually. Other men will cause the Priest to be corrupted from her relations. A divorced woman is bringing another man into the relationship. This defiles the Priest and makes him ceremonially unclean. Accepting Jesus comes at a cost. You have to be set apart and Holy because our God is Holy. Even though the price is high the reward is even greater. God is calling His Followers to be Holy because He is Holy. He is looking for that spotless Bride. What are you going to do to be Holy? It is time we leave the things that make us unclean behind.
